Morant and Williams are questionable, while Coward is out. The Grizzlies face mounting injuries, testing their depleted rotation's resilience.
The Memphis Grizzlies’ preparation for Tuesday night’s matchup against the San Antonio Spurs again revolves less around game planning and more around availability, a familiar reality in a season increasingly shaped by attrition.
At the center of that uncertainty is Ja Morant, who remains questionable with a right calf contusion. Morant has now missed roughly half of Memphis’ 35 games, appearing in just 18 contests as the Grizzlies attempt to manage recurring health setbacks to their franchise guard. He was sidelined in street clothes Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers after suffering the injury two days earlier, and his status remains unresolved entering the Spurs matchup.
While Morant’s absences have been a season-long theme, the latest blow came with the loss of Cedric Coward, one of Memphis’ most reliable contributors and a rare bright spot in an injury-plagued campaign. Coward will miss Tuesday’s game with a left ankle sprain suffered in the first half of Sunday’s 120-114 loss to the Lakers. He did not return after the injury, finishing with 16 points and eight rebounds in just over 12 minutes of action.
Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo highlighted Coward’s impact after the game, emphasizing how quickly his night was cut short.
“I thought he played a great game, but he only got to play 12-and-half minutes,” Iisalo said.
Coward’s absence carries outsized implications. He ranks fourth on the team in total minutes played this season, trailing only Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama and Jaylen Wells. His defensive rebounding percentage of 16.1 ranks third on the roster, behind Zach Edey and Aldama, underscoring how much production Memphis will need to replace on both ends of the floor.
The injury list extends well beyond Morant and Coward. Reserve guards Scotty Pippen Jr. (left great toe surgery recovery) and Ty Jerome (right calf strain) have yet to appear this season. Forward Brandon Clarke, who briefly returned last month after knee surgery, is sidelined again with a calf strain. Starting center Zach Edey remains out with a stress reaction in his surgically repaired left ankle.
On the wing, John Konchar continues his recovery from left thumb UCL surgery, while Vince Williams Jr. is questionable with left patellar tendinitis after being pressed into expanded and occasionally improvised roles earlier this season.
The cumulative effect has left Memphis operating with little lineup continuity and minimal flexibility, particularly on the perimeter. That strain was evident Sunday, when the Grizzlies were unable to close despite entering the fourth quarter with a lead, and it remains a concern as the team embarks on a critical stretch of seven home games in its next nine. The two road games during that span will be international contests against the Orlando Magic in Berlin and London.
San Antonio enters Memphis managing injury questions of its own. Victor Wembanyama is listed as questionable with left knee soreness after missing Saturday’s loss to Portland. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama traveled with the team and could be available.
Even with those uncertainties, the Spurs have won seven of their last 10, adding contrast to a Memphis team still searching for stability. For the Grizzlies, Tuesday’s game is less about matchup advantages and more about survival — navigating another night shaped by who can suit up, rather than who they would prefer to have on the floor.